Focus Fanatics Forum banner

2012 Focus Titanium Wagon

13K views 48 replies 40 participants last post by  RAF_S197 
#1 · (Edited)
Hi.
I just would like to give you a thread, that can be used to discuss the lack of the wagon on the US/ North American market.

It has come to my attention that this bodystyle is not for sale in your markets.
It is a shame, because this is a really good alternative!

Why is it so?
The new Ford Focus is supposed to be a world car...
It has a big luggage compartment with a low and wide entry for loading.
So for family or small business use, this car is excellent.
Does Ford belive the market is to small in North America, or are "you Americans" so used to oversized vehicles, that you will not consider it as an alternative?

The ride itself, on either highway speeds or on small, narrow and bendy roads is near to perfect - even in the wagon.
The chassis is one of the best chassis out there!

Feel free to comment...

And to make you understand what car I talk about - here are some pictures of mine 2012 Titanium, with a full bodykit, 18" rims and a minor loweringkit.

EDIT Oct. 4th 2012:
Within the next 2-3 weeks this post will be edited, as I then have got the roof wing I've ordered, and hopefully have gotten the vinyl wrapping on the car.
New pictures will be added.

The specs, accessories and more about my ride is as follows:
2012 Ford Focus Titanium Plus
Mars Red
18" CMS C18 rims with 235/45-18 Goodyear tyres - summer
18" Original Ford D2UD5 with Nokian 225/45-18 tyres - winther
Factory lowered - 2,5cm (1 inch)
Swing stop (because of lowering)
Bi-Xenon (HID) headlights with LED
Active City Stop, LaneKeeper, Auto Parking, sensors ++
Sony with DAB, Bluetooth, USB ++
Sportseats partial leather - electrical
Heated warmer
Diesel engine - 1,6TDCI 115HP (Tuned..?)
6 speed manual
No more accessories availible when I ordered it...
MS-Design body kit.
3M vinyl wrapped "grill whiskers"
+ some other features that is "secret"...

What that is being done in the next weeks:
Adding the rear wing - as soon as it is manufactured at MS-Design.
Getting hold of North Amarican Titanium fog light bezels
Mounting MS-Design LED Lamps
Vinyl wrapping the roof, the rear wing mirrors, and partil wrapping of the front and bonnet.
































- caman, Norway.
 
See less See more
15
#2 ·
Pictures haven't loaded yet, but based on your avatar, I love those rims!
 
#9 ·
They kind of did. As in the old Focus wagon and not enough sales to continue it. I know it's apples and oranges for the new one, but I'm sure they considered it and the return on investment etc..
 
#6 ·
That makes me want to move to Norway...and steal your car. That's big time hot! What body kit did you use, 3G Carbon? And what about the lowering kit?

I already see a ton of features, outside of the wagon design that Ford should have employed stateside.

-Smaller rear passenger headrests.
-Passenger lumbar support.
-HID headlights.

US Ford. [facepalm]
 
#8 ·
For the most part, wagons fell out of fashion in the U.S. mainly due to their replacement by SUVs & crossovers. They way the American market sees it, 'why not sit up higher as an added perk to having all this space to haul stuff?'. Even Honda & Toyota gave up producing wagons in favor of cashing in on the crossover craze, since they sit up higher and afford women the ability to run over curbs, bicycles, etc. without doing any damage. Why produce a Camry Wagon when the Highlander fills the space just as well? I think at one point, the Magnum was the only U.S. wagon available...and you see how that ended. Hello, Durango II.

There's just different tastes in cars here, which also explains why we didn't get the 3-door Fiesta. I'm personally not a wagon fan, but that may be because I was born in an era where wagons were completely uncool, and they remained uncool through much of my young life. When I hear 'wagon', my mind goes directly to the fake-wood-adorned Ford LTD Country Squire. Thankfully the days of exterior fake wood are gone, but perhaps the bitter memories linger on.
 
#11 ·
If I wagon were available, that's what I would have bought. My wife would have refused to ride with me, but I love wagons and I could have hauled so much more stuff. I have to angle my acoustic guitar case just right to get it in the back of my hatch, and I can forget about trying to take a bass anywhere with my car.
 
#12 ·
I feel you ;)
Norwegians has always been suckers for wagons, but only because it is practical cars.
No one showed of their wagons until 4-5 years ago, when - me included - started to gently modify these vehicles.
Why drive something stock, when it can be looking so much better with just a few mods..?

I also used to have a Honda Accord Wagon, and the cargospace in the Ford Focus is way better.

And the best af all, the milage you can get out of these cars are superior to most SUVs.
 
#19 ·
Factory lowering? Very interesting....

Had we had this as an option, I'd be debating between it and the sedan. So pretty.

Let me know if you need help with the Titanium bezels. We're always looking for foreign parts as well.
 
#24 ·
I absolutely would've bought a Focus wagon if it was available Stateside, even if it came at a premium over the sedan/hatch. I love wagons. They make so much sense, it's ridiculous. It handles like and has the efficiency of a car, but has the utility of a mid size FWD crossover/SUV (a format that sacrifices handling/connectedness for higher ride height).

The Focus is my wife's car and she likes the sportiness of the hatchback, but me, I can't see myself driving anything other than a wagon. The general lack of availability of wagons here worries me. Even worse is trying to find a wagon available with a manual transmission.

OP: You have the perfect Focus. Looks awesome!
 
#25 ·
Every time I see a Focus wagon I love it. They bring to mind the Volvo Sport Wagons that we used to see in the States that I used to love the looks of but the Focus is way better looking. Many active families that skied, cycled and so on together owned these in the USA but now I see that Volvo (which Ford owned for awhile but sold to a Chinese group) only sells the jacked up, expensive "crossovers" too and no wagons in the USA.

So apparently there's a load of auto execs that have convinced themselves that Americans only want the heavier, often 4WD, high center of gravity gas hog crossovers. What they're probably really thinking though is that they're going for some of the glory days of the profit margins they used to see on SUVs which they probably couldn't get from wagons. For example the Volvo S60 sedan is priced from $31750 to $43950 while the XC60 crossover starts at $34200 and the higher end one starts at $44650. If you look at the MPG specs for the 2WD versions you get 19/25 for the CO and 21/30 for the sedan and of course both 4WD versions get worse from there. Whether this is a good long term strategy in the times of ever increasing fuel prices is very questionable to me.

New Volvo wagon, also not sold here.
 
#28 ·
Does Ford belive the market is to small in North America, or are "you Americans" so used to oversized vehicles, that you will not consider it as an alternative?
Wagons would be more than adequate for a lot of folks here, and I personally like the looks. [thumb]

During the SUV craze, people wanted nothing but bigger. Over the last few years though, many have downsized for fuel economy etc. If the trend continues, the wagons may make a big comeback here.

On the oversized thought though, some of us still need the "oversize" capability.

My 2012 focus has a usable weight of around 840lbs. Add 4 adults at 180lbs each and you have 120lbs before you max out the car, so one had better pack light. Oddly, Focus' aren't rated to pull trailers over here.

So while the focus is the daily ride, I still need my full (oversized) truck for hauling two people, two ATV's and a long weekend's worth of camping gear. Having a bench seat (sadly it's a split, not a true) and being able to run over the occasional curb and just about anything else are nice perks too.[grinking]
 
#30 ·
Living in a country that's known for it's love affair with the automobile[driving], it is somewhat disappointing [:(]that we aren't even offered the great designs and performance packages available in so many other countries[?|].

Example - Wagons in any variety, the Focus RS, and the various Ford and Holden rear wheel drive platforms from Australia would be particularly nice.
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top